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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27139333">Insurmountable</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twinkletail/pseuds/Twinkletail'>Twinkletail</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Blaseball (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:46:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,530</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27139333</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twinkletail/pseuds/Twinkletail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nolanestophia Patterson finds herself frustrated during a particularly difficult game.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Malik Destiny/Nolanestophia Patterson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Insurmountable</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Seven to zero. Seriously. Seven to zero."</p><p>Sophia's morale was so low, it was threatening to displace bedrock at this point. The typically-peppy catgirl had been decidedly less so in the past few days, but anyone who was aware of the goings-on around herself and blaseball as a whole would be incapable of blaming her. To say that things hadn't gone swimmingly recently was a drastic understatement.</p><p>Sophia stood in the outfield. It was rare for her to wish she was anywhere BUT playing blaseball. It had been her dream to be a splorts star ever since she was a kitten, and she couldn't have been any happier when she signed her contract with the Fridays. Then it was on to the Tigers, and then over to the Pies, but through each roster swap, her enthusiasm remained. This season, however, had served to beat it down, one punch after another.</p><p>First it was Forrest Bookbaby's incineration. Sophia, like everyone, took it hard. Losing a teammate was never easy, and it wasn't fair that these rogue umpires could just do this at a moment's notice. But still Sophia soldiered on, keeping her smile as best she could. Various tragedies happened around her, across different teams in the league, but the catgirl parted them like the Red Sea as she did her best to light up the lives of those around her. Sad things happened, but someone needed to be the light in the lives of themselves and others, and Sophia was determined to be that someone. Tragedy licked around her like flames from a furnace, but Sophia might as well have been wearing a flameproof jacket.</p><p>But flames didn't vanish. Flames simply missed their original target and raged towards another.</p><p>Sophia had just finished bonding with her teammate, Mickey Woods. They had been friendly before, but a newfound camaraderie had been found in a peculiar place: board games. Sophia was so looking forward to having a nice get-together with her teammate and friend once the season was over. But those contemptible umps had other plans.</p><p>Sophia hadn't cried that hard since she was a kitten. But still, she had to keep pushing forward. That was the nature of blaseball. It didn't stop for anything. Players could swap teams in an instant, gurgle blood from their opponents, and turn to ash at a moment's notice. But, ever the juggernaut, blaseball moved forward. Sophia grieved, but had to pull herself together. She and her team had earned a spot in the playoffs, largely thanks to the phenomenal ability of her teammate and friend, Jessica Telephone. Perhaps the league's most famous player, Telephone carried the team on her back, even when things looked down. Sophia and the Pies as a whole could look to Jessica and know that even if they underperformed, they still had a chance as long as she was in the lineup.</p><p>It didn't take a genius to figure out what would happen next, but it did take a madman to figure out just how it would happen.</p><p>Sophia couldn't help but turn her attention constantly to the gigantic peanut that housed her star teammate. The gods had been particularly cruel upon the main season's end. Flans had worshipped others over those who the gods saw as children, and they did not take kindly to such endeavors. Jessica, as well as Nagomi McDaniel from the Jazz Hands, had been encased in a giant legume, and as such, the Pies' chances of reaching the top of the league and claiming not only their third championship, but whatever ascension was, had been quelled.</p><p>It was just too much. It hurt to think of, but as the scoreboard for this game against the Garages would indicate, the team just wasn't the same without Jessica, without Mickey, without Forrest, even without Alston, who had replaced Forrest but then been feedbacked away.</p><p>Sophia sighed as she looked across the field at home plate. Malik was up.</p><p>The knowledge that she'd be playing against her boyfriend's team in the postseason was a fun bit to hold on to amidst the sadness that weighed on her shoulders. He had been the biggest bright point in her life, and even though things looked down, she could at least enjoy watching him. Perhaps she could even enjoy the very real possibility that her own team would be eliminated, but his would move on. The Garages had basically accepted her as family anyway once she and Malik started dating. She could easily be happy for him, for her good friend Farrell, and for the rest of the Garages. But it was hard to be happy with everything going on.</p><p>THWACK!</p><p>Sophia barely made an effort to try and field. She knew how good Malik was. That was bound to be a home run. So it was with a degree of surprise and confusion that she watched the ball fly low, colliding with Jess's peanut. His aim was off. The power that she knew he possessed seemed to be muted. He was called out, and stepped off of the plate. Maybe he was just having an off day.</p><p>~~~~~~</p><p>The game chugged forward, but the feeling of dread didn't change for Sophia. Try as they might, the Pies just couldn't make headway without their strongest player. Once again, she found herself in the outfield, watching Malik step up to the plate. The score was 9-0 now, looking ever bleaker as time wore on. She prepared once more to watch her boyfriend obliterate the ball and send it careening out of the stadium.</p><p>THWACK!!</p><p>Once again, the ball flew low. Once again, Sophia watched in amazement as the ball struck Jess's peanut, lodging itself against the shell. Once again, Malik was called out.</p><p>Sophia tilted her head as she watched Malik walk off of the plate. For the briefest of moments, she felt guilty. The two were very close. Were her bad vibes affecting him? Sure, she wanted to win the game, but she didn't want to negatively affect the one she loved in the process. Another weight was applied to her shoulders, but she was quite used to the burdens by now, although familiarity didn't do much to stop the slowdown it caused.</p><p>~~~~~~</p><p>12 to 1. The score was actually 12 to 1. Sophia prided herself on being positive, but she couldn't deny that she was feeling positively disheartened. Sure, they were on the board, but there was only so much that being on the board could do for her morale when the opposing team was absolutely wrecking shop.</p><p>The burdens on Sophia's shoulders, metaphysical as they were, had her slouching as she stood in the outfield. She glanced towards her teammates. Jaxon Buckley, the new one who had replaced Mickey, wasn't looking too happy himself. Hobbs Cain, who had been feedbacked for Alston, was  holding his chin up, but she could tell that his morale was low as well. Betsy Trombone was pitching her best, but the season's events had worn the entire team down. They had another game coming after this one, but things were undeniably bleak.</p><p>Malik was up to bat once more, and Sophia was positive that his fortunes were going to change this time. He was amazing under pressure, and even though it was hard to call a 12-1 lead "pressure," the fact that the Garages only had one more out in this inning was probably enough to summon that strength forward.</p><p>Sophia watched Malik's body language, and not just because she enjoyed looking at him. She knew his stance well by this point, but something seemed...different, as he swung the bat.</p><p>THWACK!!!</p><p>The pitch had been delivered to him at just the right trajectory to offer a much better hit, but the aim on his swing was slightly off. Sophia's brow furrowed with concern, but that concern was halted as she watched the ball rocket towards Jess's peanut once more. Again, the ball wedged into the shell, and Malik was called out.</p><p>Sophia walked back up towards the bullpen, almost trancelike in her approach. Something wasn't right. As Malik started to head towards the outfield, she reached a paw out to stop him.</p><p>"Mal?" Sophia asked. "You totally would have had that home run...are you okay? Is something wrong?"</p><p>The corner of Malik's mouth curled up into a small grin as he took Sophia's paw in his hand. He looked off to the side, causing Sophia to do the same. The two watched as the rest of the Pies headed towards the dugout. Yeung-Ho Benitez and Peanut Holloway were leading Beasley Day over to get ready to bat, but the two that Malik seemed to be focusing on were Eduardo Woodman and Kennedy Cena. Those were the two that had lagged behind, rolling Jess's peanut from the outfield to the dugout. Sophia traced Malik's gaze towards the peanut before looking back up to him.</p><p>"If I hit it hard enough," Malik said, tightening his grip on Sophia's paw. "Maybe I can help my friend."</p><p>Malik gave Sophia a tiny smirk before heading to the outfield. Sophia, meanwhile, just stared after him.</p><p>Gods, she loved him.</p>
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